Latest news

The Cheltenham International Film Festival has increased the discount it is giving CFS members on its Women in Film programme from 10 per cent to 50 per cent (cheltfilm.com). The five films included are Capernaum (May 27), Mug (May 28), Happy as Lazzaro (May 30), Mary Queen of Scots (May 30) and Birds of Passage (June 1). Members should already have received an email giving them the code they need to unlock [cont'd.]

Plans are advanced for the Cheltenham International Film Festival, directed by CFS member Leslie Sheldon. It will take place between 27 May and 1 June at various venues around Cheltenham and will include a competition for new films, a tribute to Mike Leigh, a premiere of a British feature starring Bill Nighy and a tribute to Polish cinema. There will also be numerous master-classes and talks. More information on our [cont'd.]

For your information

Our 73rd season is now concluded. We hope you will rejoin for the 74th season, which starts in September. Details on how to rejoin, or join for the first time, will be issued in July, when we will announce details of the programme of films. This season’s best-liked film was Life Feels Good, which scored 93.87 per cent, followed by Maudie, Water and Land of Mine, all of which scored more than 90 per cent. [cont'd.]

Your reactions

The jet-black comedy of Under The Tree was not to everyone’s taste. It achieved an appreciation score of 74.66 per cent. Here are some of the comments: “Very dark but hugely entertaining.” “Entertainment from start to end.” “It’s hard to beat the Icelanders for really good violence.” “Icelandic humour at its best.” “Loved the dark humour.” “As black as they come!” “Black, black, dark, dark – and funny!” “Very funny. [cont'd.]

There was a warm response to Cold War, which scored 88.21 per cent. Some comments: “A brilliant film in every way. Superb.” “Perfect piece of film-making.” “One of the best films I’ve ever seen. Spirited, visually beautiful, so moving.” “By far the best film of the season.” “Best film this season. Refreshing to see a film in b/w.” “Atmospheric and enchanting. Wonderful black and white.” “Loved the black and white, [cont'd.]

The Other Side of Hope was well liked, achieving an appreciation score of 80.71 per cent. Here are a few of the comments: “A subtle blend of humour and politics with an extremely powerful ending. Telling!” “A true mix of dark and light, cruel and kind. Brilliant.” “A serious topic handled so sensitively and touchingly, with humour. Lovely.” “The right balance of humour and pathos (unlike some recent films at [cont'd.]

Film news

Sad to see that Bibi Andersson has died at the age of 83. Some CFS members will have seen her in The Seventh Seal recently, but she was cast in no fewer than 13 Ingmar Bergman films, graduating from ingenue to tortured soul in the process. Recommended: Wild Strawberries, Persona and Scenes from a Marriage.

Plymouth Arts Centre lost funding last year and is having to relocate its cinema to a new venue in the city’s College of Art. It’s currently trying to raise funds through the Crowdfunder website. If any CFS members have a connection with film in Plymouth and would like to help the city’s only indy cinema to reach its target of £20,000, there is more information on its Crowdfunder page.

Sad to see that Nic Roeg has died. As well as directing the brilliant Don’t Look Now, Walkabout and many others, he was also the cinematographer on John Schlesinger’s wonderful Far From The Madding Crowd and François Truffaut’s Fahrenheit 451, which we showed last year.

After a long and frustrating hiatus, the Gloucester Guildhall once more has a website. As well as details of forthcoming films and other attractions, the site allows you to buy tickets online. For those who don’t know it, the Guildhall, in Eastgate Street, shows a range of art-house, foreign-language and non-commercial films as well as more populist fare. The site can be found at gloucesterguildhall.co.uk.

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About CFS

CFS is Cheltenham’s membership film society. We show mostly subtitled and independent films between September and April at the Bacon Theatre in Dean Close School, Cheltenham. Admission is by annual membership subscription, but members may bring guests. The society is more than 70 years old and currently more than 500 strong.